Homeseeking

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Do any of the challenges that the characters face, such as having to leave home or give up dreams of a musical career, relate to your personal experiences? If so, how?

2. Do you think the way Suchi and Haiwen respond to being separated is understandable and/or realistic? Why?

3. The characters have to navigate many different language barriers. Have you ever been in a similar situation? What did that feel like, and how did you handle it?

4. Haiwen’s feelings about Linyee are complicated. Is he unfaithful to her? Why or why not? Should he have treated her better?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. What does Homeseeking suggest about the impacts of the Chinese Civil War and related conflicts on those who lived through it?

2. What are historically specific aspects of life in Hong Kong and Taiwan from the 1950s to the 1970s that give richness to the portrayal of life in these places as described in the book?

3. How do real immigrant stories today connect to the theme of The Impact of Geopolitical Events on Individual Lives?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How do the braided structure and different timelines impact the novel as a whole? How would the book be different if it were told in chronological order or from just one character’s perspective?

2. To what extent is Suchi a relatable character? Does she make understandable decisions? Why or why not?

3. Analyze the different settings in the novel: Shanghai, China; Taipei, Taiwan; Hong Kong; and Los Angeles, California. How do the different settings contribute to the novel’s tone? 

4. Compare and contrast Suchi and Sulan. What qualities do they share? How are they different? How do they rely on one another?